10 Fun And Useful Health Tips For A Happier New Year

What can you change now to improve your mental and physical health next year? I'm not talking about a big New Year's resolution, as inspiring and important as that is. I'm talking about small changes that may seem small but can have a positive impact on your life.

To find the best health tips for the New Year 2023, I decided to group the "good news" into my usual areas of interest, such as healthy aging, happiness, and changing habits. I define the "good news" as quick steps that almost anyone can take in their daily lives to improve their health and happiness.

Of course, sometimes you need to take steps for your health that require long-term planning and persistence, such as an exercise program or a healthy eating plan, but it's always good to have some relatively simple tips at your fingertips.

Here are 10 small steps to deliver good news in 2023:

1. Talk to acquaintances and strangers to increase your life satisfaction.

Surprising as it may seem, a recent study finds a strong link between short-term interactions with strangers and acquaintances ("weak ties") and life satisfaction. As the researchers say.

"We found that talking to strangers and weak ties, as well as simply saying hello and expressing gratitude when ties are weak, predicted greater life satisfaction."

It's incredible that this short contact has a powerful effect on happiness. If you've ever had a fun interaction with a waiter at a restaurant or a stranger in line at the supermarket, you can probably attest to this research. PT blogger Gwendolyn Seidman details the research.

Bottom line: say hello! Thanks guys. Take a few minutes to chat. You improve your overall well-being.

2. Get vaccinated to reduce your risk of dementia .

Last year, I wrote that at least one flu vaccine has been linked to lower rates of Alzheimer's disease. 2023 Research now suggests that other vaccines may have similar effects. A study published in the journal Alzheimer's Disease found that older adults who were vaccinated against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus (DPT), herpes or pneumococcal pneumonia were less likely to develop dementia within eight years. . Why might this happen?

Lead author Paul Schultz, MD, speculates

"The results suggest that the vaccine has a more general effect on the immune system, reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease."

So stay up to date on your vaccinations. Your brain will thank you.

3. Take a multivitamin every day .

For years, researchers have wondered whether taking a daily multivitamin makes sense. In 2023, two new studies clearly showed that taking a daily multivitamin was associated with better memory in adults age 60 and older. (The multivitamin used was Centrum Silver, which was donated for research purposes.) Multivitamins are easy to take and relatively inexpensive. So why not? This advice is pretty easy to swallow.

4. Do you want to say no to this invitation? It probably won't ruin your relationship.

Have you ever accepted an invitation to a social event even though you wanted to decline? In five experiments involving 2,000 people, the rejected were not as upset as the "rejectionists" imagined.

In fact, "inviters" focus less on the rejection and more on why the other person couldn't make it. (In one experiment, the reason was that the guest had a busy day and needed to rest in the evening.) Not that the guests were unhappy, but the consequences weren't as bad as they thought. This is great news for those struggling to rebuild their confidence.

Bottom line: Explaining your situation can help ease the pain of rejection.

5. Lift weights for better skin .

Lifting weights (also called strength training, resistance training, or strength training) is often recommended to strengthen bones, improve metabolism, lower blood pressure, and fuel a healthy brain. Now there's another benefit: healthy skin.

Sports expert Gretchen Reynolds wrote about the surprising study in the Washington Post .

“Skin doesn't necessarily benefit from sports. We can see or feel how physical activity changes our muscles, our heart, our lungs and other organs...but our skin.

While aerobic exercise and weight lifting can help rejuvenate aging skin, weight lifting offers the specific added benefit of increasing the thickness of the dermis (the bottom layer of the epidermis).

Because this is a small study, its results need to be confirmed by other studies. However, exercise is such a magical elixir that I wouldn't be surprised if every cell in the body benefits from it.

6. Set a goal to stay on task.

How do you stay awake when you're distracted inside like your dreams and outside like blowing leaves from hell? From this review, you should try the following to continue working:

1. Set a goal.
2. Make it short and to the point, but challenging enough to motivate you.

Researcher Matthew K. Robison said.

"Our results show that a simple, easy-to-implement behavior change, by setting specific goals, can significantly improve the ability to focus on tasks over time."

Personal experience and other research have convinced me that your goals can be small and still make a big difference.

7. Breathe. Repeat for the last five minutes.

If you want to improve your mood and reduce anxiety, consider targeted breathing exercises. In a 2023 randomized controlled trial, 108 participants practiced three different types of mindful breathing, also called mindful breathing, for five minutes a day. A fourth group practices mindfulness meditation, where meditators observe their breathing but do not attempt to control it.

After 28 days, all four groups reported more positive feelings, less anxiety and lower heart rates. Surprisingly, the mindful breathing exercises used in the study also performed better than the mindfulness meditation group.

Do you have five minutes? And five breaths? As I write here, five deep, mindful breaths can reduce stress and only take a minute.

8. Find meaning in dealing with loneliness.

In a Swiss study of 2,300 adults, those with a sense of meaning in life (PiL) were less lonely than those without. This is important because studies have shown that loneliness can increase the risk of death. A "purpose" can include a variety of goals and activities: pursuing a meaningful hobby, entertaining or supporting others, planning for the future, or working on a special project. While PiL seems like an ambitious goal, any meaningful activity can motivate you.

Money can be found at any age. Possible first steps.

1. Contact a referral counselor or therapist.
2. Join or create a support group with others who are looking for the next step in their lives.
3. Use the 988 hotline to find resources in your community.

9. Read, do crosswords, play cards and reduce the risk of dementia.

Whether mental activity can prevent dementia is another controversial issue. However, this research summary found evidence from three studies conducted in 2021, 2022 and 2023 that brain activities such as writing letters, reading, doing crosswords and puzzles, and studying can delay or reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. for what

One answer may be that these activities increase brain power, increasing your "cognitive stock." Another reason is that mental exercises stimulate different parts of the brain at the same time. Playing games can also be beneficial because social interaction is also good for the brain.

10. Watch birds to relieve stress.

To cheat a little, I recently became aware of two studies in 2022 that support the healing power of birdsong and bird watching. The bottom line is that when we observe birds and listen to their songs, we connect with nature and develop our mental health.

In one study, researchers analyzed smartphone data from 1,300 participants and “found a significant positive correlation between seeing or hearing birds and mental well-being, even after controlling for other possible explanations, such as education, occupation, or attendance. Birds are "birds". "Green and water, in turn, are associated with positive mental health."

This benefit lasts for several hours. Another study found that simply listening to birdsong reduced feelings of anxiety, depression, and paranoia.

These studies confirm and add to what we already know: contact with nature is good for our mental and physical health.

Finally, I wish you all a happy New Year. Enjoy the gift of health and happiness all year round!

New Year's recovery - make-up, tanning and beauty Jamie Genevieve